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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul6e 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
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n 


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obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

1 

7 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

lire 

details 
jas  du 

modifier 
ger  une 

filmage 


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to  the  generosity  of: 

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6es 


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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


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shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^>  signifie  "A  SUIV  RE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


ire 


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required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
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Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
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de  Tangle  sup6riour  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


>y  errata 
ed  to 

mt 

ine  pelure, 

agon  d 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


t  2  3 

4  5  6 


CANADA 


NATIONAL  LIBRARY 
BIBLIOTHEQUE  NATIONALE 

r 


Sv^-^-'CJ^ 


&^ 


# 


A  PLEA 


FOR  THE 


'^Ji^ 


SWISS  MISSION  IN  CANADA: 

A  DISCOURSE, 

DELIVEUED 

IN  THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  TROY, 
October  15,  1843. 


By  NATHAN  S.  S.  BEiAIAN. 


..,.jc,-itr^ 


^(^ 


TROY,    N.  Y.: 

rUBLISIlED  CY  YOUNG  &  IIARTT. 
FROM  THE  PRESS  OF  X.   TUTTLK,  CCXXV  RIVER-STREET. 

1843. 


-^- 


TROY   SWISS    MISSION   SOCIETY 


r    » 


The  Troy  Swiss  IMissiox  Soriii: tv  is  romposed  of  Ladies  of  clinbrent  Protest- 
ant (Ifiioininatioiis.  It  was  foriiK.-d  at  tliu  Sessioa-Room  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Churc-ii  of  Troy,  August  11th,  IS  12. 

The  following-  are  the  Oliicers : 

Mrs.  EMMA  WILLARD,  First  Direct res.^ ,- 
Mu^  MARY  CHURCH,  Second  Directress ; 
Mrs.  E.  M.  NORTON,   Secretary; 
Miss  ABBY  .1.  CHAMPION,  Treasurer. 

Managers. 

Mrs.  T.  B.  BICtELOW, 
Mrs.  WM.  NOVES, 
Mrs.  a.  BARNES. 


CoUictors. 


Mrs.  a.  season, 

Mrs.  LE  ROY  MOWRY, 

Miss  WILSON, 

Miss  EAT0>J, 

Miss  CLEAVER, 


Mrs.  HAWLEY, 

Miss  MARY  FRENCH, 

Miss  MARTHA  E.  NORTON, 

Miss  CHARLOTTE  MALLARY, 

Miss  MARY  HALL. 


At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society,  liolden  at  the  Troy  Female  Seminary, 
August  11th,  IS  13,  it  was  unanimously 

Resoh-ed,  That  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beman  be  requested  to  deliver  a  Sermon,  in  order 
to  call  public  attention  to  the  importance  of  sustaining  the  Swiss  Mission  in  Ca- 
nada. 

Dr.  Bomaw  consented  ;  and  accordingly,  on  the  15th  instant,  preached  to  a  very 
large  and  attentive  audience.  On  the  Kith,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Society,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  communicate  to  Dr.  Beman  the  following  resolutions  : 

Resoh-ed,  That  the  Ladies  of  the  Troy  Swiss  Mission  Society,  present  their 
heartfelt  acknowledgement  of  gratitude  to  Dr.  Beman,  for  his  most  eloquent  and 
interesting  Discourse. 

Resnlred.  That  it  is  our  desire  to  see  the  Sermon  preached  by  D.-.  Beman,  in  a 
printed  form,  for  our  own  pleasure  and  instruction— that  we  may  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  sending  it  to  our  friends— and,  also,  that  the  cause  it  so  ably  advocates,  may 
thus  be  made  better  known  to  the  public. 

The  committee  reported,  that  in  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  the  Society,  Dr. 
Beman  would  furnish  a  copy  of  the  sermon  for  publication. 


DISCOURSE. 


' 


riiiLTrriA\s  iv.  .1.  And  I  entrcnt  tlieo  also,  true  yoke-fellow,  help  those  women 
which  labored  with  me  ia  the  g.ispol,  with  Clement  also,  ami  with  other  my  fel- 
low-laborers, whose  names  are  in  the  liook  of  lile. 

From  the  c'  cnmstances  in  wliicli  I  am  jjlaced, 
this  evening,  I  am  called  upon  to  present  to  this  au- 
dience a  new  subject  of  Christian  beneficence; — and 
because  it  is  new,  and  in  ortler  that  it  may  be  the 
better  understood,  I  will  commence  my  address  with 
a  few  explanations  which  1  might  odierwise  jiostpone 
till  its  close.  I  am  about  to  spread  before  you  the 
claims  of  the  Swiss  Mission  in  Canada.  JMy  plea, 
however,  will  be  made  more  directly  in  behalf  of 
"  The  Troy  Swiss  Mission  Society,"  established  a 
little  more  than  a  year  since,  by  the  Ladies  of  this 
city,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  missionary  labors  in 
that  country. 

On  this  point,  a  few  historical  items  will  suffice. 
The  mission  at  Grande  Ligne  was  commenced  in 
1835 — eight  years  since— by  M.  Louis  Iloussy,  under 
a  "  commission  from  the  Churches  of  Switzerland." 
This   place  is  situated  near  the  river  Richelieu,  the 


6 


outlet  of  lake  Champlain,  twenty  miles  from  the  line 
of  this  State,  and  ten  from  the  town  of  St.  Johns. 
Here  he  obtained  the  post  of  a  schoolmaster.  After 
two  months,  the  Catholic  priest,  who  dreaded  the  ef- 
fects of  his  labors,  procured  his  removal  from  the  of- 
fice of  a  teacher.  He  had  found  by  visiting  from 
house  to  house,  that  not  more  than  07ie  m  fifteen  could 
read. 

In  the  autunm  of  183G,  Madame  Feller,  a  devoted 
Christian,  who  had  left  Switzerland,  at  the  same  time 
and  for  the  same  purpose,  and  who  had  spent  the 
winter  in  Montreal,  in  private  religious  instruction, 
removed  to  Grande  Lignc,  and  opened  a  school,  while 
M.  lloussy  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  visiting  the 
people  and  communicating  religious  instruction.  Both 
of  them  were  exposed  to  severe  treatment  from  the 
exasperated  Catholics — savage  threats  were  uttered 
— their  place  of  worship  was  disturbed  by  noisy  and 
infuriated  mobs — and  M.  Roussy  was  himself  severe- 
ly beaten.  But  God  was  with  them,  and  quite  a 
number  of  people,  in  spite  of  the  priests,  became  obe- 
dient to  his  word.  The  only  place  that  Madame 
Feller  could  procure  for  a  school-room,  was  a  small 
garret,  where  she  taught  the  children  by  day,  and 
where  she  lodged  at  night.  The  heat  of  the  summer 
was  so  intense,  that  she  was  obliged  to  remove  her 
school  to  a  barn.  But  in  the  midst  of  all  these  labors 
and  discouragements,  her  courage  never  flagged. 
She  opened  an  evening  school  for  adults,  in  which 
she  had  twelve  pupils, — while  a  considerable  num- 
ber attended  the  concluding  exercises  which  consist- 


1 


cJ  In  reading  the  scriptures,  conversntlon  on  the  pas- 
sages read,  and  prayer.  In  addition  to  these  severe 
and  exhausting  lahors,  s  ^"^ployed  all  her  time  not 
occu])led  in  her  schools,  in  visiting  such  families  as 
were  willing  to  hear  the  scrii)tures  rvnd. 

The  result  of  these  labors,  and  of  other  kindred 
spirits  associated  with  this  excellent  woman,  hns  been 
such,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  as  we  might  auticii)ate. 
The  people  have  been  Instructed,  and  aroused,  and 
many  converted  to  Christ.  They  have  now  a  large 
and  commodious  building  for  the  missionary  family, 
chapel  and  Normal  school.  The  influence  begins  to 
be  felt,  not  only  upon  the  neighboring  population,  ])ut 
upon  many  other,  and  even  far  distant,  parts  of  Cana- 
da.   I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  this  topic  again. 

The  character  and  labors  of  this  woman  will  ap- 
pear still  more  extraordinary,  if  we  advert  for  a  mo- 
ment to  her  previous  history.  She  was  a  native  of 
Lausanne,  in  Switzerland,  and  brought  up  in  culti- 
vated society.  Her  husband  was  "  chef  de  police," 
and  was  frequently  called  upon  to  punish  the  evan- 
gelical christians.  Early  one  Sunday  morning,  he 
received  an  order,  from  the  tribunal  of  justice,  to  go 
to  a  certain  place  to  disperse  or  imprison  a  number 
who  had  met  to  worshiji  God.  In  speaking  of  this 
she  says,  "  He  left  the  house,  and  immediately,  like 
the  wife  of  Pilate,  I  was  seized  with  the  most  fearful 
misgivings.  I  felt  that  my  husband  was  sinnino- 
against  God  by  obeying  this  order.  JNIy  ai.guish  was 
bitterly  increased  by  the  sudden  illness  of  my  sweet 
infant,  who  to  that  hour  had  been  in  perfect  health. 


8 


It  was  tlic  only  (•liild  -wliicli  (lod  liiid  oivcii  us." — 
When  licr  liusbimd  rcliinicd,  slic  lold  hiii» of  Ikm*  dis- 
tn^ss,  niid  iin[)l()r(M!  liiiii  lo  uivc"  iij)  his  ollicc,  rnllicr 
than  1()  incur  ihe  ii(H'(>;xii y  of  sinning  ai^aiiisl  (jud. 
SIk;  Avas  not,  at  tlmt  lini(%  a  cJirislijin. 

Tliishttlo  child,  ;ilv!wl  ihiw^  y'>:ii-.s  old,  soon  iiHcr 
di(>d  a,  ino.st  rcniarlvahic  diMlh.  Sho  s])()kc  of  ;i<)ino; 
home  lo  (lod,  hkc  ;in  old  aiid  cxjxm  i(Micc(l  chnstian. 
Just  hel'oi-c  licr  (h^ath,  slic  s:i:d,  "Do  not  weep  !"oi-  inc, 
denr  mother,  (iod  will  1;ikc  c;ii'c  of  yon, — yon  A\ill 
Jove  (lod, — ;nid  ho  a\  ill  hltvss  yon."  These  words, 
sluisjiid,  j)roved  j)r()[)lielic. 

She  l)( ciime  ii,c<|n!iin1ed,  nt  l1iis  [xM'iod,  with  ;in 
cvaiiL(elic;d  l'roles1;inl  minisli  r,  w  ho  a\  ;is  of  L!,re;it  sei- 
vice  to  lier  iind  lu'r  hnshand,  in  spirUnnl  llniius.  'I'liey 
bolli  became  inlcresled  in  ihe  blood  of  .h-sns  Chi'ist; 
and  in  about  one  year  allin-  tli(>  dealli  of  lli(>ii'  lilth^ 
child,  Jier  linsl)and  died  in  the  1  riinnphs  of  faith. 
Soon  after  this,  the  |)aslor  of  the  chin-ch  in  Lausanne, 
M.  Olivier,  and  his  wile,  had  made  nj)  tlaar  minds  to 
leave  SNvit/.cn'land,  and  devote  themscKcs  to  the  in- 
struction of  the  Catholics  in  l^'rance,  oi-  some  other 
countrv.  JNIadame  .l'\'ll(n"  dii-ected  tlieir  alleiilion  to 
Canada,  and  they  iinally  concluded  to  adopt  Ikm- sug- 
gestion.     Soine  tim(>  alter,  when  hi  r  hc'^baial's  thrcH:^ 


daULihtei's  bv  a.  foi'mci-  mari-ia' 


:<\  '»V(, 


re  settled  in  life 


she  Avrote  to  Madame  Olivier,  informing  her  that  she 
\\":;..  jiow  pi'cpared  to  consecrate  her."ll  to  the  lile  ol 
a  nfissionaiT,  in  Canada,  if  an  o[)eiiniL;-  presented  il- 
vjclf  lin-  lli;it  pni'poM'.  I 'nil  before  that  letter  had  Inne 
to  arri\e,  she  received  one  i'rom  iier excellent  friend, 


[•> 


J 


'•• 


invltino-  her  to  coinc  nnd  join  thorn  in  llio  work  of  in- 
struct ino-  nn<l  savino  lie  iirnornnt  nnd  dogradod  Ca- 
tholics of  C'nii;id;i.  She  inmiodiatcly  ohi^yod  tho  in- 
timations of  ProvidomT,  ui\i\  outorcd  upon  lier  liold 
of  chrietiaii  (^Iforl,  as  I  Ir.ivo  boloro  rclatt><l.  lier 
friends,  M.  and  M(h;.  Olivier,  were  coni])elltMl  to  re- 
turn to  iheir  native  country,  on  account  ol  ill  heidtli ; 
luit  Mndmne  Feller  resi-;t(Hl  all  their  entreaues,  jind 
refused  to  go  with  them  v>he  remaincMl  uitli  a  lull 
di^terminiition  to  hilxu-  till  slu^.  dies,  on  missi(;nary 
fifroiind,  and  especially  lor  ihe  conversicm  of  Rouian 
Catholics.  77//.V  j)ui-pose,  on  hei"  })art,  would  seem 
to  be  of  heaven,  and  her  <l(>voted  and  sijlf-denying  la- 
bors have  already  produced  an  unusual  amount  of 
good. 

The  words  T  have  sclcM'ted,  as  my  text^  are  appro- 
priate, and  directly  suitc^d  to  my  ])resent  ]>ur])osc. 
"And  I.  entreat  thee,  tru(»  yokcvlellow,  hel[)  those 
women  which  labored  with  me  in  the  gospel,  with 
Clement  also,  and  with  other  my  fellow-la  borers, 
whos(^  naiiics  are  in  the  I  ()ok  of  life."  The  "  true; 
Voki'-fellow"  here  addressed,  was  some  well  known 
and  eminent  christian  at  riiilip[)i,  [)erliaps  the  pastor 
of  the  church.  The  pious  women  who  are  com- 
mended to  his  notic^e  and  kind  assistanci^  arc^  men- 
tioned ill  the  ])revious  vei*s«':  "  I  bi'seech  Enodias, 
and  I  b(\sei'(h  Syntyelie,  that,  they  be  of  the  same 
mind  in  the  Lord."  They  liad  been  of  s[)ecial  ser- 
vit;e  to  the  a[)oslle  in  planting  and  promo* ing  the 
eause  of  C/hrist.     lie  characterizes  them,  as  "those 


10 

.o«eu  who  labored  -■^:;^;^J_l^^^'^' Jr^l 
literal  translation  wo"d  ^^^         J  „,,  „,, 

who,  for  the  gospel,  hav   co  ^^_^^^  ^,,,,„„e. 

They  stood  l.y  him  and  ^™\<=  ?;^;    ^;       ^„a  decis- 

„o  doubt,  both  by  ^^'^'^^f'^^lZo    God.    From 
- '-^-^^^  1wCiltt:taUer.ated,  either 

some  cause,  they  ^''«"  ^  ^^,,-,j,,„  enterprise, 

personally,  or  on  some  bu  no    o  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^ 

l-aud  the  apostie  exhorts  d^m  to  ^^^_^^,^^^„ 

W  purpose.  -^""toLeheen  *e  husbajul 

who  --n^-'"! ''^iX"  them  to  compose  their  drf- 
of  one  of  them,  to  help  ,,^„v,,e  to  induce  them 
ferences,-or,  what  is  more  pr<^  ah  e  t 

■,    tl.nii- efforts,  and  to  co-opeiate  i"i 
to  umte  then  cttoit  ^^^.^^  ^^  ,^^^„.        1 

the  cause  of  ^^''-Y     .  eech  Syntyche,  that  ihcy 
beseech  Euod.as,  and  I  «.sc.cl      )     y  ^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^^ 

be  of  tae  same  mind  in  die  1.0     .  ^^^^  ^^^.^  ^^^ 

^^- ^''^ "":;:;  d  *:e:rb^^^^^^^^^ 

more  especially  deuce  ^^^^  sublime 

„oble  part  in  — -;;;t  -pires,  they  had  taken 
eournoe  winch  the  §<^  f^Jj  ,,,t  tbe  moral  combat, 
a-u  magnaninious  ^W  a^^^^^^^^ 

..      with  Clemeut,  ^^^^.^^.^  was  die  agen- 

kind  and  useful  Irdiors.  occasion. 

I  shah  attempt  to  show   o     to  ^^^  ^^  ^^^^ 
,l,at  woman  may  do  much  foi  tl.e  ^ 


' 


11 

pel ;  and  that  the  field  occupied  by  this  Society  is  one 
of  deep  and  special  interest. 

I.  Woman  may  do  much  for  the  spread  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  discuss  the  comparative 
talents  of  the  sexes,  or  their  respective  influence  on 
the   destinies  of  our   world;  nor  need  I  assert   the 
identity  of  their  spheres  of  action.     There  are  some 
things,   that  woman   cannot  do.     There   are  some 
things  which   God  never  designed  her  to   do,  and 
which,  if  she  should  perform,  she  would  be  disrobed 
of  more  than  half  of  her  intellectual  and  moral  beaU' 
ty.     She  may   not  ascend  the  pulpit,  and   publicly 
proclaim  the  will  of  heaven.      She  may  not  become 
the  accredited  ambassador  of  Jesus   Christ  to  fallen 
men.     Her  sphere  is  not  marked  out,  by  the  finger 
of  God,  amid  the  busy  and  bustling  scenes  of  public 
life.  Buo  she  may  be,  and  she  has  often  been,  a  bright 
angel  of  mercy  to  a  disheartened  church  and  a  sinful 
world.     Even  the   strong^  hand   and   oiant  mind  of 
Paul  were  rendered  still  mightier  by  the  aid  of  wo- 
men; and  his  pious  and  gentle  heart  was  not  asliam- 
ed  to  record  the  fact  on  the  inspired  page.     "Help 
those  women  who  labored  together  with  me  in  tlu^ 
gospel."     Nor  is  this  a  solitary  instance  in  the  book  of 
God  !     It  is  an  old  remark,  aid  it  hns  lost  notbing  by 
repetition,  that  "women   were   lust  at  the  cross,  and 
first   at   the  sepulchre."     Their  native   talents,   and 
their    peculiarly  strong    susceptibilities,    when    un- 
der the  influence  of  piety,  quality  them  to  do  many 


I        ! 


j.      I 


12 

things  more  efficiently  than  they  are  generally 
clone  by  men.  If  the  stream  of  their  influence  is 
comparatively  retirc;d  and  silent  ^i  its  onward  flow, 
yet  it  is  pervading  and  powerful,  and  is  capable  of 
fertilizing,  or  desolating  a  world !  Nor  is  there  any 
good  reason  why  it  should  be  so  retired,  and  so  silent, 
that  no  one  will  ever  see  it,  or  hear  of  it,  or  find  it 
out.  It  was  certainly  not  so  in  the  days  of  Paul ; 
and,  it  is  well  known,  that,  in  that  age,  woman,  by 
the  long  establlslied  customs  of  society,  had  been  put 
in  the  back  ground,  and  was  ko[)t  there, — at  least,  in 
relation  to  mnny  things  in  which  it  is  now  reputable 
for  her  to  stand  fc)rtli  in  a  blaze  of  light,  and  act  a 
conspicuous  and  prominent  part.  But  let  me  state  a 
few  distinct  ^particulars. 

Devoted  women  may  do  much  to  furnish  the 
means  for  sustaining  missions. 

The  gospel  cannot  be  sent  to  the  destitute  portions 
of  our  globe,  whether  they  are  pagan  or  nominally 
christian,  without  money.  Missionaries  are  genC' 
rally  poor,  and  unable  to  sustain  themselves.  They 
must  be  conveyed  to  their  destined  field  of  labor,  and 
they  must  be  fed  and  clothed  while  engaged  in  their 
work.  They  cannot  "leave  the  word  of  God  to 
serve  tables."  Nor  can  it  be  expected,  that  the  hea- 
then, or  others,  who  cherish  no  sympathy  for  them  or 
their  mission,  will  furnish  them  with  the  means  of 
support.  Nor  will  God  rob  his  people  of  "  the  luxu- 
ry of  doing  good,"  by  suppl^dng  their  wants  by  a 
special  miracle.  They  are,  then,  necessarily  thrown 
back  \x\)oi\  the  benevolence  of  a  christian  communi-' 


-Mp 


13 

ty;  and  that  community,  in  every  ordinary  state  of 
feolini?,  needs  both  information  and  excitement  in  or- 
der  to  insure  the  discharge  of  duty.  The  great  in- 
terest must  be  spread  before  the  public,  not  merely 
in  formal  discourses,  but  it  must  be  talked  about  from 
house  to  house.  The  great  body  of  the  people  want 
lieM,  as  well  as  light,  in  order  to  act  up  to  the  high 
mark  of  the  divine  requirement.  And  who  can  make 
appeals  so  thrilling,  and  so  effectual,  and  so  irresista- 
ble,  as  that  sex  whose  hearts  are  strung  with  the 
more  vivid  and  active  sensibihties  of  our  nature,  and 
whose  very  tones  are  eloquence,  and  spontaneously 
body  forth  the  deep  feelings  of  the  inmost  spirit!  If 
I  wished  to  ask  back  my  forfeited  life,  even  from  a 
tyrant's  bloody  hand,  I  would  have  a  woman  to  beg 
for  me !  Her  logic  is  brief,  while  her  entreaties  are 
not  easily  shaken  off.  Let  this  sex,  warmed  by  the 
love  of  heaven,  and  deeply  commisserating  the  pre- 
sent degradation  and  the  fearful  prospects  of  the  be- 
nighted heathen,  or  the  hardly  less  benighted  papist, 
turn  tax- gatherers,  and  the  missionary  box  is  soon  fill- 
ed by  a  kind  of  voluntary  compulsion.  Not  only 
their  own  sex,  but  men  will  give; — some  because 
they  love  the  enterprise,  and  some  because  they  love 
ardor  and  energy  in  woman,  and  others  because  they 
are  ashamed  to  deny  the  request  of  a  lady.  The 
history  of  the  last  twenty-five  years,  if  it  were  writ- 
ten in  all  the  minuteness  of  detail,  would  show  the 
amazing  moral  power  of  the  female  sex  in  furnishing 
the  means  for  prosecuting  the  cause  of  christian  mis' 
sions.     Some  have  done  it  by  their  appeals  to  others, 


14 


i^ 


A 


some  by  their  own  liberality,  and  not  a  few  by  their 
deep  personal  self-denials. 

Pious  females  can  do  much  to  promote  a  mission- 
ary spirit. 

They  always  have  done  this.  If  woman  acted  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  the  ruin  of  our  world,  so  she  has  in  its 
redemption.  I  love  to  read  the  story  of  those  good  wo- 
men who  followed  Jesus  Christ  from  place  to  place, 
and  ministered  to  the  wants  of  this  heavenly  mission- 
ary; — and  of  those  "honorable  women,"  "not  a  few," 
who  believed  the  gospel,  and  stood  by  the  first  mis- 
sionaries of  the  cross,  even  v^hen  the  storms  of  per- 
secution gathered  around  them,  and  beat  upon  their 
holy  heads !  To  say  nothing  here  of  the  peculiar 
power  of  woman  to  plead  with  eloquence  and  effect, 
the  cause  of  moral  refinement  and  heavenly  truth,  to 
which  I  have  already  adverted,  who  can  be  impelled 
to  this  work  by  stronger  motives,  than  those  which 
are  addressed  to  her  \  It  is  only  under  the  form  of 
a  pure,  evangelical  Christianity,  that  woman  is  per- 
mitted to  take  her  own  proper  rcmk  in  society,  and 
to  enjoy  those  rights  which  God  has  secured  to  her 
by  the  constitution  of  nature,  and  in  his  o^vn  written 
laws.  The  Pagan  female  is  a  slave,  and  the  Catholic 
is  but  little  better.  If  you  will  look  the  world  over 
witli  an  impartial  eye,  I  challenge  you  to  deny  the 
truth  of  this  remark.  Paganism  and  Romanism  have 
always  had  the  heart  intensely  fixed  on  a  common 
object — the  exaltation  of  the  priesthood  in  connexion 
with  the  political  power,  and  the  depression  of  the 
people.     And   wherever  the  people,  as  such,  have 


J/». 


\ 


16 

been  crushed  by  the  combined  powers  of  church  and 
state,  there  individual  tyrants  have  trodden  upon  the 
rights,  and  spurned  the  virtues  of  woman.  Look  over 
the  benicrhted  rcahns  of  Paganism,  and  let  the  heart 
bleed  for  the  female  sex.  Here  is  a  dark  picture  of 
tyranny  and  sulfering.  Look  over  those  populous 
lands  where  an  impure  and  false  Christianity  has 
blighted  every  thing  fair  and  promising  in  society, 
and  where  will  you  find  females  1  What  rank  do 
they  sustain;  and  what  is  their  moral  character?  I 
speak  not  of  individuals,  but  of  the  ??iass!  You  will 
find  them  in  the  field  holding  in  the  hand  the  imple- 
ments of  husbandry,  or,  upon  the  liigh-way,  occupy- 
ing the  place  of  beasts  of  burden.  And  what  is  wo- 
man in  the  hands  of  a  corrupt  priesthood  ?  I  would 
not  own  a  sister,  or  a  mother,  or  a  daughter,  who 
would  go  to  "THE  CONFESSIONAL,"  and  answer  the 
questions  which  must  be  projooundcd  at  that  stall  of 
Belial ! 

Pious  and  devoted  females  have  ever  chine  much 
for  the  gospel,  by  their  fervent  and  effectual  prayers. 

The  comparatively  retired  and  secluded  condition 
of  woman,  is  favorable  to  this  duty.  And  so  is  the 
very  character  of  the  female  heart,  when  effectually 
imbued  with  the  grace  of  God.  It  was  a  prayinor 
Hannah  who  gave  a  Samuel  to  the  church.  The 
mother  of  Samuel  J.  Mills  was  emphatically  a  woman 
of  prayer;  and  to  her  heavenly  spirit, — that  spirit 
which  sympathized  with  dying  men,  the  world  over, 
and  flew  to  God  for  strength  and  succor, — the  cause 
of  modern  missions  owes  one  of  its  slronuest  and 


i\ 


\ 


f 

I 


10 

.  Let  those  who  love  God,  and 

l,ri!ihtest  ehainpons.     Let    I  ^„,,,,nn^^tc  the 

fee!  a  thriU  of  deep  '^^-^'^^^IJ,  ..U-ation,  put  a 
heaven-born  ontevpnse  ol  .  ^^^^  ^^  ^,^,,i„g,, 

special  honor  upon  pr-J  -  ,  ^^^^^.^^^  ,„a  bathe 

4Godoa»g;vothe>n    Ba'^    >       ^^^^^^^^  ^„  ^.„„ 

,  dybg  world  ur  *'/;;,,,„  give,  and  >f  you  oan- 

knecs.     Ifyou  have  but  l.te       ,   ^    ^^^^  ^^^  ^^y,„„ 

„„,  fly  to  the  rescue  >e_bc^^"  ^^,    ^,„  ^ear 

yonrselves-you  cm    J''«-/;  ;^;^„  ^voman   and 

llead  the  ^'-7  ° ^    rf  the    ompassionate  Sav>our 

„ever  cease  to  plead  ^"f^^'^^J^  ,„a  .Ul  hgU  and 

peace,  as  aui>o 

the  earth.  .nJsalonaries. 

Women  nrake  good  »^         ^;,,  ^^^^  inissrona- 

1  was  about  to  say,  ^-^yjf ^^      ,,„.     They  are 
,i,,_arrd  u.  tlren-  »- nj       'tlL  'pubUc  heralds  of 
„ot,  as  1  have  ^f^^^'  ^^Js  iu  prosecuUng 
the  cross,  but  ^^l^ ^,,  indeed,  j.st  as  nr- 
„issions,  are  just  =^>  """^    ^^.^^tcrprise,  connected 
aispensaUe,  as  ur  any  home  e        1^^^^^^^^     ^^^  ^^_ 
,,ith  the  same  deep  and  hea^^ J^  ^,.,  ,„„. 

forts  for  the  ff^^^'\  \^^^^  dro  combh.ed  pow- 
eerned.  prove  -f-^f;;  ^Usted  on  the  oppo.to 
ers  of  the  ^^^'^^''^  ^'-^^  state  of  every  com- 
side.     The  moral   -^^^  ,„,„,  degree  of  pre- 
„umty  may  be  -^'^^^^,,  character  of  wo- 
cision,  from  the  moral  ad    c  ^^^^  ,^_  ^^^^  ^^^.^^. 

„en.     This  is  true  ^^'^1^^^  especially  on 

e„t  train  of  l^--g^;\^;;'  :,  ^/lelations  which  they 

font  'nid  inteie»i'i"s 
the  imp^^^'^ 


r 


17 


sustain  to  christian  missions.  I  moan  their  personal 
relations,  as  teachers  of  the  gospel.  I  speak  not  now 
of  ])ublic  preachiijo'.  There  are  many  other  lessons 
to  be  inculcated  than  those  which  are  proclaimed 
from  the  pulpit.  It  is  so  in  all  communities,  but  es- 
pecially so  among  the  unevangelized  and  ignorant. 
Woman  is  a  teacher  from  the  very  position  which 
God  has  assigned  her.  The  mother  moulds  the  in- 
fant mind.  She  watches  the  opening  bud  of  child- 
hood, and,  under  God,  gives  the  sunshine  and  the 
showers,  and  the  gentle  distilling  dews,  which  ex- 
pand its  infantile  beauties  into  full  bh  om.  Nor  is 
she  an  incompetent  teacher  in  maturer  years.  But 
those  qualities  which  prepare  her  to  be  the  very  best 
teacher  of  the  young,  and  especially  in  the  great 
principles  of  piety  and  virtue,  are  the  very  ones 
which  fit  her  for  the  missionary  enterprise.  She  is 
"apt  to  teach," — fond  of  detail, — minute  and  copious 
and  patient  in  explanation, — and,  withal,  when  the 
heart  has  fully  fastened  on  its  object,  and  all  its  im- 
mortal and  glowing  energies  have  fully  resolved  upon 
success,  she  is  persevering  and  indefatigable  to  the 
very  death !  These  are  the  characteristics  needed 
in  a  missionary  among  the  uninstructed  every  where. 
In  relip"ion,  the  unevargelized  world  are  all  children, 
and  they  need  a  mother's  tongue  to  teach  them. 
They  need  her  smiles,  and  tears,  and  counsels. 
They  need  her  gentle  hand  to  lead  them  along 
throuo-h  the  first  jirinciples  of  the  oracles  of  God, 
and  her  kind  wing  to  shelter  them,  when  impending 

dangers  threaten,  and  when  sweeping  storms  pass 
3 


i^ 


A 


) 


18 

tuvo  of  woman's  -.-^^-h  n  ^^^^^  ._^ 

of  heaven;   au^l  cvuy         =  .^^.  ^„j ^very 

;««,,.,  .hen  uK-ltecl  by  th      -    ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^ 
tlung  that  can  be  cW-uUy  ^,  ^^^^  ^^.^      ^^^ 

whoso  body,  when  he    v  Madagascar,  ero- 

with  kindred  dust,  n.  the  -Und  o  __^^^^^  ^^^, 

hosomed  in  the  great  lud^^  .^^^  ^  ^^^i  ,„a 

„.iss>onary  -  Madame  Fehe     vh        ^^^_^^^^^^  ^^^. 

faith  inspired  of  H-™"^^f  J'Lot.ng  berself  to 
paralleled  in  modern  W-^^'  Catholics  in  Can- 

Ihe  instruction  and  -  —  ^'the  .i«/«#.  of  either 
^da.     In  writing  the  V>-«f  ^  °        ^^  extravagant  to 
of  these  women  :t  -'o"  fj  f^^^,    our  Saviour  on 
eopy  the  er^^^^V^:^  ,Lo  you,  whereso- 
oneoftheMary  ,-  W     ^^^^^^^^^  ;„  tl.e   w^iole 

:::>d;tr£-HfV^-™"^^"""'^ 

be  told  for  a  memorial  oHiei. 

Permit  me  '"f  "^'•'l,^,,.  j  ty  tins  society,  is  one 
II   That  the  field  occupicu   ny 

of  d;ep  and  -V-"-]-^^'^^^,,  ,especting  the  Swiss 
1  have  gwen  yon  a  le    ^^  ^  _^^^  .^^  .^^  ^„g^„, 

Mission  in  Canada.    ^      ^^^  .^^  .^.  ;^  ;,  j^pera- 
that  we  can  see  the  han  ^^„ 

tWely  called  fo^"  .^f  ^^^^  wbose  instruction  and 
vvhom  it  is  «^'''"\*"^;"la  d>e  enterprise  has  been 
salvation  it  is  Wf^^^^  '\  am  ^uite  sure,  that 
already  most  signally  bles.e 


it 

> 

•y 

ell, 
led 
?m- 
;h  a 
and 

un- 
If  to 
Can- 
either 
Eint  to 
ar  on 
ereso- 
wbole 

done, 


is  one 

ic  Swiss 
origin, 
impera- 
aniong 
fction  and 
bus  been 
fcure,  tbat 


19 

no  roal  christian — that  no  lovor  of  Cod  or  man — can 
look  at  this  enterprise,  in   all  its  litihts  and  bearings, 
without  wishing  to  sustain  an  hunihle  part  in  its  pres- 
ent conilicts,  and   its  future   and   prospective   glory. 
It  may  appear  small   in  itself — a  mere  speck  on  the 
globe — but  it  has  relations  almost  infinite ;  it  stands 
connected  with  subjects  of  deepest  interest   and  of 
largest  magnitude,  and  the  discussion  of  which  is  ex- 
citing,  and  even  agitating  and  shaking  the  world. 
There  is  no  interest  of  time  or  eternity — no  comfort 
of  earth,  or  hope  of  heaven,  or  song  of  future  triumph, 
at  least,  so  far  as  some  of  our  fellow  beings  are  con- 
cerned, but  may  depend  on  the  existence  and  prose- 
cution of  this  mission.     Let  me  give  you  a  mere  out- 
line of  a  train  of  thought  which  you  can  pursue,  to  a 
greater  extent  for  yourselves,  and  which  can  hardly 
fail  of  enlisting  your  holy  sensibilities,  and  of  secur- 
ing your  active  co-operation  in  this  "labor  of  love." 
1.   The    Swiss   Mission  in    Canada   involves   the 
great  question  now  before  the  church  and  the  world. 
It  is,  at  this  day,  and    ever   has  been  a  complex 
question, — a    question  of  religion,  and   a  question  of 
politics.     The  line  that  separates  a  pure   Protestant 
Christianity  from  Romanism,  is  the  most  distinct  and 
the  deepest  moral  line  ever  drawn  upon  the  surface 
of  human  society.     Upon  the  one  side  of  this  line,  as 
a  general  fact,  we  find  the  love  of  liberty,  and  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent,  its  actual   enjoyment, — men- 
tal cultivation, — a  regard  for  the   rights  of  man, — 
freedom  of  thought  and  freedom  of  discussion, — and 
submission  to  the   Bible,  as  the  only  source,  and  the 


20 


^ 


) 


I    I 


.ft 


P 


only  standard,  infalliljlc,  invariable  and  eternal,  of 
religious  truth; — on  the  other  side,  at  least,  so  far  as 
to  be  eharacteristic,  we  have  popular  ignorance  and 
an  overwhelming  torrent  of  po[)ular  vice  and  crime, — 
a  total  disre}>ard  for  freedom  and  the  rights  of  man, 
in  the  upper  stratum  of  society,  and  a  blind  and 
cringing  submission  to  authority  in  the  lower, — tyran- 
ny in  every  hideous  and  every  hateful  form, — the  sur- 
render of  the  right  of  })rivate  judgment  in  matters  of 
religion, — an  arrogant  i)rieslhood,  intermeddling  with 
every  thing  but  their  own  ai)propriate  business, — 
obtruding  themselves  into  courts  and  cabinets, — 
touching  the  hidden  springs,  and  pulling  the  subtle 
wires  of  legislation, — themselves  voluntarily  exscinded 
from  all  the  charities  of  domestic  life,  yet  worming 
themselves  into  the  secrets  of  families,  by  a  commis- 
sion stolen  from  heaven, — meting  out  the  awards  of 
bliss  and  woe,  of  heaven  and  hell,  by  the  o  of  the 
money-scjJes, — and  shoulderi  u  aside  the  word  of 
God,  and  foisting  into  its  place,  Lj  the  rule  of  faith 
and  life,  a  crude  mass  of  silly  and  endless  traditions! 
This  is  not  a  picture,  but  a  mere  sketch, — honest  in- 
deed, and  true,  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  meagre  to  very 
poverty !  If  this  sketch  were  filled  up,  and  the  ap- 
propriate colorings  super-added,  no  eye  could  gaze 
upon  it,  without  carrying  home  to  the  heart  the  thrill- 
ing interest  of  its  moral  power.  We  should  see  the 
evils  which  are  to  be  removed  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  blessings  ^vhicll  are  to  be  secured  on  the  other, 
as  the  benign  and  magnificent  results  of  Protestant 
missions.     But  what  I  have  said,  is  not  "the  begin- 


4 


■*»- 


21 


of 
as 
ml 

an, 

Liid 

au- 

iur- 

s  of 

vith 

s, — 

:s, — 

ibtle 

ided 

ming 

imis- 

•ds  of 

f  the 
)rd  of 

faith 
tions  I 
est  in- 
D  very 
he  ap- 
d  gaze 
I  thrill- 
see  the 
nd, and 
other, 
)testant 
3  begin^ 


ning  of  the  end"  of  what  should  be  said,  on  this  sub- 
ject, if  there  was  time  to  tell  the  whole  story.  Satan 
never  gained  a  more  signal  triumph  in  our  world, 
than  when  he  contrived  Romanism,  and  baptized  it 
with  a  christian  name,  and  then  palmed  it  ofl^  u])on 
its  deluded  votaries,  as  the  religion  of  the  Son  of 
God.  The  intellectual  and  pious  Cecil  used  to  call 
Popery,  "the  devil  t*  master-piece," — and  it  may  be 
so  called  without  a  figure  of  s})eech.  As  the  gos- 
pel is  an  advance  upon  Judaism,  and  the  revelations 
of  the  New  Testament  exceed  in  radiance  and  glory 
the  revelations  of  the  Old,  so  Popery  is  a  refinement 
upon  Paganism,  in  order  to  meet  the  exigency  of  the 
case,  and  forestall  the  conversion  of  men,  and  the 
progress  of  holiness  on  the  earth.  The  deep  shades 
of  heathenism  were  quite  sufficient  to  obscure,  with 
regard  to  a  large  portion  of  our  world,  the  pale  star- 
\iu\\t  o{  tho  old  revelation;  but  the  still  denser  and 
darker  shades  of  Romanism  were  demanded,  in  order 
to  shut  out  lIio  brilliant  sun-light  of  the  new.  This 
latter  system,  if  profoundly  studied  and  fully  under- 
stood, will  be  found  to  contain  in  itself  the  concentra- 
tion of  all  the  abominations  of  Paganisim  and  Infidel- 
ity, mysteriously  and  intimately  combined.  Those 
who  have  looked  at  this  subject  only  as  superficial 
thinkers,  may  consider  these  remarks  too  intense,  and 
tinctured  wi  severity;  but  those  who  have  atten- 
tively studied  the  page  of  ecclesiastical  history,  and 
have  gone  down  in  their  researches,  into  the  pro- 
found depths  of  "the  mystery  of  iniquity,"  know, 
that  they  contain    "the   words  of  truth  and  sober- 


■# 


ness. 


n 


i) 


s 
) 


!|' 


jMirojtr  )>J  till  ;ill\t'  In  ll.  TIh'  Minlcil  IvIIIjmIoIU  nl' 
(irnil    hriliiiii  will    \i'l     Up  sjia'  ni  to  iN  rciilrr  l«\    il. 

All    I'ilpul      l'',Urtl|M»     (yi   (til    ill)'    lllt'lt.     Mini      MlMulllllJ     tint 

lIuMi"  .IrsuilM  Mild  itllitT  .  uii'^Min  H'M  lo  llic  cihU  nl  llio 
C'MllJ!.  Mini     r\|>«'i|(|i'.;j    lIuMT     '.miM'V.   With   M   liluMtilily 

unpMirMllcliMl.  ;ii  nnlcr  In  Iniiij?  llio  wnrltl  iiiulor  tlio 
t.nwiM'  nl  tlin  iiiilin  mii<I  llin  Inpin  t  inwn,  Tllif* 
<'nuiltr\  Inn  '.|tr(  ail*  nut  m  lu'lil  ••!  tllflllV  »'niil1n'I. 
The  NhncK  miiimI  «'nnin,  Thn  JniMivo  mniMl  hMlllo 
Will  lin  InDjjhl. — MMtl  ihn  t|urNlinii.  lull  nl  iiiipml.  mimI 
proplu'lir  nl' hlo  nr  (I,;;!l»,  w  lidhnr  tlii-i  «-nmitrv  mimI 
othtT  rrnlrMlanl  t'nii:ilr(n4  mIimII  hm  niim  liKi'  Italy, 
niltl  I'lMiK'n.  Mild  Spam.  Miid  IrelMiid.  and  ('aiiadM, 
ruid  Sniiih  A  ninncM. — nr  w  hnlluM  ihnMn  cninitrirM  Miid 
llir  ndirr  dniimiiniiM  nl      "llin  niMli  nl  nui."     wlin.  hv   a 


luisnniiKM'.  liMst  luMMi  t'Mllt'd    "hi>^    llnhi 


ICMM. 


.IimII  I 


m 


c'omn.  Ill  civil.  jtnhlit';il  Mild  rt'liKiniiM  Irnndcni. —  in  rd- 
;;  'Mtinii.  Niiliin  mimI  |M«Mv.hl\n  llu^  I'mln  »l;inl  |{n|tul(- 
lir — tmivl  hn  dnt  id.t'd  I  Tlin  t|iinMlinii  nhii/  hs'  dnridtMl 
Hona.       H   vnii  would  liMNf  ll  Molllnd   Mrcnrdiliy  <n  iho 


Iu'kI     poMllinii,  ^  nil  ^^hniiltl    }'i\n\nur    N|iMrt"    lliniicv    li» 
hudd     ('Mlhnlic    ( 'hurrlu  •-;.  Mild     In  sujmnri   III  Viinniim 
WMVM.  Mil  Mrin'-Miit    Mild    n\«  liiiNC  piin^llinnd. —  ll   \  nil 
^i  \vnuld  liMxn  il  Mnllh  d    Mrrnrdiii",  In  ihn    ImnI.  mihI    Men 

dm    «Milii\»    NlirlMrj'  nl    niif    j-dnhn    iiidiMUl   Willi    likdil, 
luid    rn\nnd    wilh    a     lH»|>ulali«'ii.   md'HrrluMl.    pinUM 


tliMl  nap 


I'V 


"   Mm.Ii    MO   .Hlllll 

'■nv  ni>\  «v.  oiiili  im  li'ii\  I'n  ai.>.'|in  ,l,.\v  II  t,i  0,1.," 


thou    rniiin   and  aid  a  iiii^Mnii  which    liaM  ilinsc  and 
h'^irt  liNcd  oil  thrsc  haiiNCviidciil  and  ( ind  like  icsuU-i'. 


•  1 


a 


intrrost  In  iIum  iMit.M  pn^o, 

I    ii'lri'  c^jM'DiilU    111  tlir     ( '.illii'ltr   pt»pul;iluiti.    llu' 
«lrM(MM(ili»ul>*  ttl     llic    «Mi>'iiiiil     I'hmhIi  ^oHUmm  n|    H\;\\ 
runiilrv.        Thni'  inm>  purl  nl  llir  ;ilt>lM' w  Iumc  rhns" 
llMU  nUMMinUM  WH'  p.hm»'    tu-nlrtl.  ;umI    wIliMi'  r\»Mi  \\\r 
tiMnpoiul     ro^^uIlM    wtmld    ln^     ut.uo     ptMrrplililo     iiiMi 
lunrp  MiihUiU'V.      Tlio    r.ipil    -v^liMu    liiri  liiitl    t\\\    np- 
pntliimlN    lor    M    lilir    r\pri hhmiI    in     ('itHMil.i,         Tlld 
rouiiliN     iNrll    m;i\    compare    \«m'\    wrll    wiili    miitiv 
p;irlM  ol     New    I'',ii'.'1;iihI.~-1iiiI     inntlv     llir     (Oiitnist    \\\ 
r\rrv    llmiv;    lli;il    ImIimij^-m    !n    timii    u*    a    Nonal    iuul 
nUMtll   licil)!'.        (intltrr    \\  MM  MtMllt'il     twrlvi'    \i"!U>^Im'* 
Ittic  lliP  pil^'niii'4  (»|  llir  M;l\     I'lowcr  pl:inli'i|  ihrii'  Ici'l. 
tl^^  (llO   «  lunnpUMl'J  ol     ;i    lict'   .'lu'lsl  IM  li  l(  \  .  t>M   |l|o     inrls 
t>l    lM\ni.inlli;    .iinl    \('t     !ni\v   tllll(M(Mil    ill*'    lil'^ltMU'M  of 
(litvMc  M<1\  <Mil  m  (M '^i '       I  lir  riotr^lMiil   pi',  m  mm  lioiuiMo 
^i(n>^^<;    Mini    llifir    picyiMiv  li;i\«'    lilli'tl  ilu'  l.iiiil.  miuI 
\\V{'  Mr;ilit»'.'    \\\o  IJitt  Ivv     MtMiul.'miH.  nnil  mio  (liiv  t'luij,' 
(liiwn  iIm'  slope  low  ;inl   llic  ^;|rMl    I'Mrilir,        Alul  \\\c\ 
li;i\r  srallorod  Mrliool  •.  iiiitl  <  nllfucM.  \\\u\  rlimtlirs,  !ill 
jllniij:',  lln'ir  p!illi\\a\.        i'lic  hind   im  hllctl  willi  tni  iii- 
tolirt  tiial.  !i  lire,    a     n"li<Mon^,  and    a     liappN     people, 
lint   \'.  lial    i>.  liie  '.late  ol    ( 'aiiada  ?       'The  luliaJMlants 
aro  just  \\l»al    llie\    were,  m    l(i(i'^.  w  lien  llie    eoniihv 
was  ImnI  Nellled.      I'drmoie  (lian   I  \\  o   eenluneM  lliev 
have  not  made  an  meli  ol  pvojjre'.M  in  an\   lliiii"  eillier 
lionoral'lt',  i»r    prolllal'li'    (o  man.         \nd    \\li\(      No! 


jiet  an^i"  //'<   iti'i   <m  nilenoi   to  eilun    men 


N 


•  I  nation 


ia\  e 


lietti 


er    i»li\>^ieal  o 


r  mlelleetnal    li  ame'4.  than  I'n 


h'nMU'li.       Uul    llir\    arc  Ktpl    i.i    lonoranre   l»v    tin 


\  % 


V 


24 

Jeuce,  aua  the  o-— t     ;i"le  Ae  ™any-Ae 
few,  and  these  are  ^  ^,„„g,  „„aer 

peasantry,  are  good  Catho      ,  ^^^^,^  ^^^        ler 

their  ghostly  dnvers,  »^  *e         ,  .^^    ^„y  rt,,„g, 

„.,.  iash,  ^vWrout  one    mp  ^  ^^^^^^^.^_ 

from  the  begimnng  to  the  e.  ^^.^  ^^^  ^t 

But  the  spell  is  ''"^'^";^^/^\,i  and  lux«rions-a 
vest     Theybegintodistinstala/y  ^^^^^ 

Se-hatinl  and  ^^1!:^^  ended  wUH 
are  symptoms  that  the  ^ce  ^^^^^^^  ^,^„„„  „ 

many,  and  that  a  vestnrcctu,  ^^^^^         ^ 

to  great  moral  S™-"  ;;';,i„„;.ed,  when  chorts 
ti„e  sinee  that  count  y.  ^,^^  ^^^^^^,;^^_  ,,,,e  so 

for  instructmg  and  <=°^'^^^^,,,,  ^  the  present, 
likely  to  be  crowned  ^   as       ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^_„ 
.The  Helds  are  already  wl ntc  ^^^  ^  ^^,.y 

3.  This  >---°"7'TV  "of  cm- country, 
powerful  appeal  to  the  ^^^^^  ;,  „ade  to  all 
'  Indeed,  I  might  -y- ^^^'^le  worth,  as  well  as  to 
who  appreciate  and  ''^  «  *^  .  ,f  d.e  mission  and 

females  thernsolves.  1  -  ,  ^_^^  ^^^  ^^^^  „,o,t  extra- 
school  at  "  Grande  L>gnc  ^  ^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^,,(i,a 
ordino.y  woman  of  ..>e  ^=  ■  ,^^^^  ^^^,,„  ,v>e  saw 

,,it,,the  rehg.onof  me.e  .^„„a  pardon  and 

her  own  character  as  a     m    .^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^,^,  ,,,,  fl 
peace  in  a  Savjou.  »  boo  •  ^^^^  i„,,,„,uon  and 


H^: 


'>5 


slon  from  which  she  hnd  l)cen,  hy  the  grace  of  God, 
deUvered.    "The    love   of  Christ   constrained    her." 
Under  this  impulse,  she  left  her  friends  and   home, 
and  the  sweet  romantic  scenes  of  her  native  land,  and 
soiioht,  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  wave,  a  missionary 
field  wdiere  she  might  honor  Christ,  and  save  sinners, 
and   gratify  the  expansive   charity  of  her  warm  and 
devoted  heart.     The  Catholic  population  of  C'anadn, 
attracted    her    eye,   and    controlled   her   decisions, 
prohably    from     such     considerations    as    these : — 
The  French   lanuuaue  was  her  native  tonouc, — this 
field  might  be  more  promising  than  some  others,  in 
as  much  as  it  lay  remote  from  the   strong  inlluences 
of  Pa})al  Europe, — and  "  last,  not  least,"  the  condition 
of  the    Canadians,   social,  moral  and    religious,  was 
such  as  to  reach  the  sensibihties,  and  move  the  com- 
miseration of  any  heart  warmed  by  the  love  of  heav- 
en.      This   condition   she   understood,   for  she  had 
studied  it:  and  she  entered  upon  the  work   with  a 
consecration,  a  f  lith,  and  an  ardor,  so  truly  apostolic, 
as  to   excite  the   admiration  of  nil   who  knov/   any 
thing  of  lici"  former  and  present  history.     She  once 
moved  in  elevated  circles, — lived  in  competency, — 
and    enjoyed    the    blessings    of    home    and    friends. 
The  spoiler  came,  as  I  have   before  related,  and  the 
scene  was  changed.      Tlie  storm  swept  over  her  lit- 
tle sacred   inclosure,  and    desolation  i"ollowe(h       But 
grace  sanctified  these  alllictions,  and  she  consecrated 
herself  wholly  to  the  one  sole  obiectof  inii)nrtini>liulit 
and  life  to  die  Catholics.  She  seems  never  to  have  turn- 
ed hor  eye  or  heart  from  this  object  since  it  first  occu- 
4 


26 


\ 
I 


^' 


IS 


pied  and  filled  her  thoughts.     She  has  planted  a  mis- 
sion and  a  school  at  Grande  Ligne — where,  in  con- 
junction with  others,   she    is  performing  a  greater 
amount  of  ki[)or,  physical,  intellectual  and   sj)iritual, 
probahly,  than  any  woman  living.    In  connection  with 
this  mission,  other  schools  and  stations  are  established, 
in  different  parts  of  the  country.      Of  the  hai)py  ef- 
fects which  have  already  followed  these  truly  christian 
efforts,    I  shall   speak   more   jiarticularly  hereafter. 
My  object  now  is  to  j^resent  before  you  the  venera- 
able  and  devoted  founder  of  this  mission,  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  asking  you   to  settle,  in  your  (wn  minds, 
and  by  your  own  acts,  the  question — whether  a  wo- 
man of  this  sublime  moral  heroism, — of  these  active 
and  living  energies, — of  these  transccndant  and  self- 
sacrificing  deeds — shall  be  sustained  \     I  fear,  that  I 
shall  not  be  considered  as  paying  even  an  ordinary 
tribute   to   the  female  sex,  by  propounding  a   ques- 
tion which  may  seem  to  imply  a  doubt,  on  this  point. 
Vi  8he  has  foisaken  home  and  kindred  and   country, 
and   encountered   the  hardships  and  the   dangers  of 
the  ocean,  and  buried  herself  among  the  uncultivated 
and  ignorant,  where  her  exertions  tax  every  power, 
and   her  accommodations   are   mean  and    scanty, — 
shall  it  be  considered    a  great  thing,  that  we  expect 
the  ladies  of  this  country  to  feel  for  their  own  neigh- 
bors, and  sympathize  with  a  christian    adventurer  of 
their  own  sex,  from   a  far  distant  land,  whose  evcry 
power  and  every  pur])ose  is  rendered  subservient  to 
the   noble  object  cjf  elevating  their   intellectual  and 
social  condition,  and  cf  saving  their  souls?      I  am 


\ 


27 


V 


i 


sure  you  will  discliarge  your  duty,  In  this  matter, — 
nor  would  I  seem  to  detr.nct  from  the  value  of  your 
doings,  by  interposing  a  formal  plea  in  order  to  incite 
you  to  action.  Nor  will  men  refuse,  hy  their  benefi- 
cence, to  cheer  the  heavenly  s})irit  of  such  a  wo- 
man,— one  who  is  making  greater  exertions,  and  se- 
curing more  blessed  results,  than  one  man  in  a 
thousand  has  ever  done,  even  among  those  who  have 
filled  the  sacred  office. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  say,  that  the  mis- 
sion is  deeply  in  want.  I  am  fully  persuaded,  that 
no  funds  for  the  enlargement  of  the  kinijdom  of 
Christ,  can  be  more  profitably  expended,  than  by 
sustaining  this  enterprise.  Nor  can  the  work  alrea- 
dy so  successfully  begun,  be  carried  on  and  consum- 
mated, without  an  increase  of  means.  The  school  is 
thronoed  with  children  from  the  families  of  convert- 
ed  Catholics,  and  the  place  is  too  strait  for  them. 
They  wish  to  enlarge  their  accommodations,  that 
they  may  do  good  upon  a  more  extended  scale,  and 
impart  spiritual  light  to  those  who  are  perishing  "  for 
lack  of  knowledge."  The  female  sex  should  come 
up  to  the  help  of  this  devoted  and  heavenly-spirited 
woman.  Some,  and,  indeed  not  a  few,  are  doing  it. 
I  have  been  much  gratified  to  learn,  that  the  Young 
Ladies  of  the  Female  Seminary  of  this  city,  have  pre- 
pared, with  their  own  hands,  a  large  and  valuable  box 
of  clothing  for  this  school  and  mission.  It  will  prove, 
I  trust,  an  ollering  "  acceptable  to  God,  and  ai)proved 
of  men."  In  what  we  do,  in  this  truly  christian  en- 
terprise, we  must  not  forget,  that  the  undertaking  is 


4€ 


\ 


>  t 


1  i 


28 

a  great  one.  The  whole  country  needs  an  entire  re- 
volution ;  and  the  agencies  demanded  for  its  accom- 
plislnncnt  are  not  to  be  found  there.  They  mast 
come  from  abroad, — from  Protestant  Europe  and 
Protestant  America. 

4.  This  mission  has  been  already  greatly  blessed. 

The  impress  of  heaven's  broad  and  beauteous  seal 
is  on  it.  The  Son  of  God  has  fultilled  his  promise, 
and  been  with  his  faithful  and  devoted  servants,  in 
this  important  harvest  lield.  For  the  first  time,  after 
a  lono-  and  dark  nioht  of  more  than  two  centuries, 
the  day-star  has  arisen,  and  the  morning  begins  to 
dawn  on  Canada!  A  spii-it  of  religious  intpiiry,  be- 
fore unknown,  has  been  awakened,  among  that  peo- 
ple, which  all  the  cunning,  and  all  the  malice  of  the 
priests,  will  not  be  able  to  allay.  The  people  begin 
to  feel,  that  they  need  the  bread  of  life,  and  God  is 
sendino  it  to  them.  The  mission  at  Grande  Lione, 
is  a  centre  of  spiritual  light  and  heat,  from  which  ra- 
diations of  heavenly  influence  are  going  out,  in  every 
direction,  over  "  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land." 
On  this  spot  they  are  educating  teachers  and  colpor- 
teurs who  shall  hereafter  go  forth,  and  scatter  the 
good  seed — letters  and  Bible  truth — over  all  Canada. 
And  the  work  has  already  begun.  The  priests  are 
alarmed;  and  persecution,  the  old  argument  of  "the 
man  of  sin,"  has  blown  its  trumpet,  and  kindled  its 
fires.  Schools  and  preaching  stations  are  establish- 
ed, not  only  in  populous  places,  but  among  the  cabins 
in  the  woods, — and,  at  all  these,  the  gospel  is  achiev- 
ing wonders.     I  wish  I  had  time  to  go  into  detail,  but 


MitiiMi 


^ 


29 


I  can  only  give  you  a  few  prominent  facts,  as  speci- 
mcMLs  of  many  move  of  a  like  character. 

At  Grande  Ligne,  according  to  tlie  report  for  tlie 
present  year,  they  number  sixty  converts,  and  the  con- 
grcgatio]is  vary  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  lift}'. 
The  primary  school  contains  from  thirty  to  forty 
pupils,  and  the  Normal  school  fourteen.  The  mis- 
sionary corps  is  now  composed  of  Madame  Feller 
Monsieur  and  Madame  Normandeau,  Mademoiselle 
Jointe,  (who  is  assisted  in  her  school  by  Ilortense 
Brissette,  one  of  the  pupils,)  the  Rev.  Louis  lloussy, 
and  one  colporteur,  who  travels  in  the  vicinity  within 
a  radius  of  ten  leagues. 

At  Cliazy,  established  about  two  years  since,  the 
church  numbers  twenty  members:  the  average  num- 
ber of  the  hearers  of  the  word,  is  thirty.  The  act- 
ing missionary  is  Dr.  Cote,  who  bore  a  prominent 
part  in  the  rebellion, — once  a  Catholic,  but  when  he 
became  educated  and  saw  their  abominations  and 
fooleries,  an  infidel ;  and  now  a  truly  converted  man, 
and  a  zealous  preacher  of  the  pure  gospel  of  the  Son 
of  God.  He  has,  in  different  capacities,  three  assist- 
ants. 

The  station  at  St.  Pie,  established  at  an  earlier  pe- 
riod than  the  above  named,  numbers  twenty-eight 
members,  and  the  school  has  thirty  scholars. 

The  station  at  Bcrea,  established  more  than  a  year 
since,  numbers  thirty-two  members,  and  has  thirty''- 
five  scholars  in  the  school. 

But  these  missionary  stations  are  not  all.  The  de- 
voted  friends  of  Christ  of  whom  I  am  speaking,  and 


r  • 


rl; 

ft 


^ 


ih- 


?     ••■ 


i  1 

'  i 


30 

whom  you  are  endeavoring  to  assist,  and  others  en- 
gaged in  the  same  work,  are  scattering  the  beams  of 
heavenly  day  over  these  broad  reahns  of  night. 
Preachers  and  colporteurs  are  traversing  the  land  in 
every  direction,  diffusing  mercy  in  their  progress,  in- 
tent on  the  single  object  of  giving  the  pure  word  of 
God  to  this  blind  and  benighted  people.  And  they 
are  fast  accomj)lishing  their  object.  Already  in  the 
remote  and  rude  cabin,  embosomed  in  the  wilder- 
ness, may  be  heard  the  voice  of  these  Bible-readers; 
and  the  old  primitive  forest  almost  daily  resounds 
with  the  joyous  accents  of  a  preached  gospel. 

Nor  shall  we  duly  appreciate  these  truly  christian 
labors,  unless  we  hx  our  eye  on  the  real  condition  of 
the  people.  We  must  see  them  as  they  are.  Re- 
collect that  they  are  called  christians,  and  this  is  the 
nineteenth  century — and  they  were  planted  as  a  co- 
lony, from  one  of  the  oldest  nominally  christian  king- 
doms of  Europe.  And  what  is  their  present  state  ? 
Not  more  than  one  m  fifteen  can  read,  while  scarce- 
ly any  can  write.  Madame  Feller,  on  a  certain 
occasion,  read  the  Bible  to  a  man  and  his  wife, 
and  when  she  had  concluded,  they  acknowledged, 
that  now,  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives,  they  had 
heard  the  gospel  read.  The  husband  was  over  sixty 
years  old. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Tannef,  who  has  traveled  as  an 
agent  in  the  country,  says — "  The  greatest  part  are 
blindly  submissive  to  their  pjriests,  and  believe,  that 
they  themselves  can,  and  ought  to  atone  for  their 
sins,  by  penances,  and  by  giving  money  to  say  mass- 


31 


cs.  The  most  part  of  the  j'.enanccs  wl.  ich  the  priests 
impose,  consi-^t  in  reciting  in  Latin,  paters  and  ave 
Marias.  They  beHeve,  that  there  are  men  changed 
into  howhns:  vvolves  and  loni) -tailed  beasts;  that  on 
All  Saints'  day,  the  dead  leave  purgatory  and  walk 
on  the  earth,  and  that  blood  would  spring  up,  if  a 
Roman  Catholic  should  dig  in  it. 

"  As  Lent  is  for  them  a  time  of  penance,  they  dare 
not  then  play  for  money,  but  some  of  them  j)lay  for 
prayers,  that  is,  that  he  that  loses  shall  recite  a  cer- 
tain number  of  prayers,  which  God  will  j^lace  to  the 
credit  of  the  winner.  Many  of  them  wear  medals 
and  other  things  to  preserve  them  from  evil." 

One  missionary  laborer  says, — "  Several  persons 
forbade  me  to  read  the  Bible  to  them,  believing,  that 
as  soon  as  it  was  opened,  serpents  would  dart  out  of 
It. 

Another  writes, — "  As  I  was  leaving  a  house  where 
I  had  been  conversing  with  a  number  of  persons, 
they  all  followed  me  to  the  door  to  look  up  to  a  cross 
which  the  Bishop  of  Nancy  had  erected  on  a  moun- 
tain in  sight,  saying  to  me,  that  he  had  told  them, 
that  each  time  they  cast  their  eyes  towards  it,  and 
repeated  a  certain  number  of  prayers,  they  would 
gain  an  indulgence  of  three  Imndred  days." 

These  facts  need  no  comment.  And  a  priesthood 
who  can  thus  impose  upon  the  ignorant  and  credu- 
lous, and  corrupt  the  very  fountain  of  truth,  and  al- 
most extinnuish  the  human  intellect,  ou.cihtto  be,  and 
w41],  sooner  or  later,  become  the  loathing  and  abhor- 
rence of  the  friends  of  God  and  the  friends  of  man. 


■* 
* 


1 


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32 

The  people  who  welcome  and  caress  them,  receive 
a  viper  to  their  bosom,  whose  sting  istleath!  Under 
their  influence,  intelligence,  liberty,  virtue,  religion 
and  happiness  have  always  expired,  and  gone  down 
to  an  early  sepulchre ! 

Who  does  not  rejoice,  that  God  is  giving  such  sig- 
nal success  to  the  Swiss  m  ssion,  among  such  a  peo- 
ple?    Who  docs  not  bless  God  for  the  honor  which 
he  has  conferred  upon  his  devoted  servants?  Let  me 
advert  to  one  instance  of  his  gracious  protection  of 
the   mission,  by  the  christian  influence  of  Madame 
Feller.     "  During  the  year  1838,  the  labors   of  the 
mission  had  proceeded  with  increased  success: — M. 
Roussy  being  e:igagcd  in  preaching  at  various  sta- 
tions, and  INIadamc  Feller,  in  the  school,  and  in  pri- 
vate visitations.     But  in  the  month  of  November  civil 
war  again  broke  out  around  them,  and   their  neigh- 
borhood became  the  scene  of  revolutionary  opera- 
tions.    A  prominent  leader  of  the  insurgents,  who 
had  always   cherished  deep  hostility  to  the  mission, 
sent  a  band  of  armed  horsemen  to  make  JNI.  Roussy 
prisoner,  and  bring  him  to   lu  camp.      Through  the 
appeals  of  Madame   Feller,   the  angry  troop,  who 
came  to  the  house  full  of  rage,   were  softened   and 
conciliated.     They  left  M.  Roussy  in  his  own  house, 
and  pledged  themselves  that  neither  they  nor  their 
property  should  be  molested  during  the  war.     The 
pledge    given  was   literally    redeemed.     While    all 
around  them  were  pilkigcd,  and  all  who  refused  to 
join    the  insurgents  voluntarily  were   cruelly   taken 
prisoner's,  the  miss'oii  family  were  untouched."   Tru- 


* 


33 

ly  God  is  with  them.     Such  honor  have  those  who 
love  and  serve  him. 

And  here  I  leave  this  cause.  May  this  audience 
meet  their  high  responsibilities ;  and  may  God  him- 
self put  his  own  seal  of  approbation  on  your  doings, 
for  Christ's  sake. 


.:^ 


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as 


.-^. 


APPEAL 

Of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Troy  Swiss  Mission 
Society,  to  those  benevolent  and  influential  Ladies 
TO  whom  this  pamphlet  is  sent  by  them.  f 

Sisters  : 
The  earth  is  the  Lord's.  V/e  arc  his — made  by  him  to 
sojourn  here  as  in  a  school,  where  if  we  are  obedient  and 
docile,  he  will  translate  us  to  the  joys  of  an  everlasting 
home.  What  we  call  our  own,  constitutes  a  part  of  our  tri- 
al and  probation.  Shall  we  cling  to  a  few  of  these  perish- 
ing possessions,  none  of  which  we  can  carry  with  us,  to 
the  loss  of  that  sentient  immortal  soul,  which  is  of  more 
worth  than  an  inanimate  planet,  with  all  its  gold  and  dia- 
monds;— or  shall  we,  when  we  see  before  us  the  prospect 
of  a  great  good  to  be  done — especially,  a  good  to  precious 
souls — shall  we  part  with  a  little  of  this  hoarded  treasure, 
and  send  it  to  heaven,  to  be  laid  up,  that  we  may  find  it 
there  ? 

At  this  time  let  us  think  of  what  our  devoted  sister,  the 
apostolic  Madame  Feller,  has  done.  She  has  given  her  all 
of  fortune,  on  which  she  might  have  lived  in  case  and 
pleasure,  in  her  home,  situated  in  one  of  the  most  paradi- 
siacal spots  on  the  earth.  She  has  given  more — she  has 
given  herself.  When  she  met  Avith  us,  we  questioned  her 
as  to  her  first  movements  in  Canada  ;  and  from  her  own 
saintly  lips  Ave  learned,  that  she  began  by  going  into  the 
miserable  abodes  of  squalid  poverty,  Avhere  parents  had  no 
more  than  one  cotton  garment  Avith  Avhich  to  guard  a  child 


■I't 

4 


36 

against  the  vigors  of  the  climate  ;  no  food  to  give,  better 
tliaii  potatoes ;  no  medicines  for  sickness — and,  if  they 
had,  no  skill  to  use  them.  She  sought  out  the  sick  among 
them,  and  spent  her  money  to  buy  them  medicines,  and 
herself  to  watch  beside  the  midnight  pallet  of  straw;  and 
thus,  almost  like  the  blessed  Saviour,  she  proved  to  the 
people  that  her  mission  was  divine,  by  healing  their  sick. 
She  clothed  the  children,  and  began  to  teach  both  them 'and 
the  parents.  And  they  ivould,  then,  despite  the  prohibi- 
tions of  their  priests,  receive  her  instructions.  When  we 
think  of  these  thmgs.  Sisters  of  the  Protestant  Faith,  let  us 
do  a  little,  where  she  has  done  so  much. 

We  would  then  affectionately  request  you,  to  call  toge- 
ther your  circle  of  friends  and  read  with  them  this  sermon. 
Perhaps  their  hearts  will  move  them  to  organize,  that  ef- 
fort may  become  concentrated  and  efficient.  If  your  lo- 
cality makes  it  mo.  e  convenient  to  transmit  any  funds  you 
may  collect  to  us,  than  to  send  them  direct  to  Madame 
Feller,  at  Grande  Ligne,  L.  Canada,  or  to  send  them  to 
the  city  of  New- York,  to  the  care  of  William  Chester, 
Esq.,  we  olfer  to  receive  your  contributions,  and  pledge 
ourselves  to  transmit  them  safely,  and  render  you  an  account 
thereof.  In  this  case  you  can  direct  to  our  Treasurer,  Miss 
Abby  J.  CiiAMPiox,  35  First-street,  Troy.  Any  contribu- 
tions, however  small,  will  doubtless  be  acceptable. 

EMMA  WILLARD, 
MARY  CHURCH, 
E.  M.  NORTON,  J 

ABBY  J.  CHAMPION, 
P.  D.  BIGELOW,  ** 

HANNAH  T.  NOYES, 
%  ALMIRA  BARNES. 


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